Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $809 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,428 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,047 in Merida, rent included.

Phuket costs about 52% more than Merida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Merida 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.90 VES 10.0K

-62.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$60.4 VES 51.0K

-46.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.86 VES 9,169

-17.77%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.56 VES 2,165

13.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.11 VES 1,782

-58.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.31 VES 1,108

-63.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.96 VES 1,658

19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.04 VES 2,571

22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.98 VES 1,673

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$3.27 VES 2,758

-55.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.94 VES 1,638

-20.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.47 VES 2,085

-14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.56 VES 5,539

198.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.64 VES 6,452

-55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.32 VES 6,178

55.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$5.07 VES 4,285

-41.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.47 VES 1,237

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.90 VES 2,452

-23.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.26 VES 1,909

-4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.99 VES 1,683

-23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.35 VES 1,141

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.50 VES 1,269

-24.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.58 VES 2,179

-78.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.81 VES 3,220

11.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$11.06 VES 9,339

72.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.39 VES 1,171

28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.11 VES 1,781

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.29 VES 245

668.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.11 VES 3,472

-26.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.54 VES 1,297

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.82 VES 4,916

-33.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.76 VES 640

96.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$44.4K VES 37.5M

-40.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$50.3K VES 42.5M

-46.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$12.69 VES 10.7K

707.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$10.46 VES 8,831

8.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$30.08 VES 25.4K

-42.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$29.82 VES 25.2K

74.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$15.02 VES 12.7K

-26.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.98 VES 4,207

54.42%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$89.2 VES 75.3K

528.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,377 VES 2.0M

384.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$72.1 VES 60.8K

-12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$41.21 VES 34.8K

-28.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$98.5 VES 83.1K

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$98.2 VES 82.9K

-9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$132 VES 111.8K

457.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$91.6 VES 77.4K

426.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$224 VES 189.6K

838.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$188 VES 158.5K

553.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,186 VES 1.0M

204.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,215 VES 1.0M

114.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$285 VES 240.6K

73.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-77.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Merida: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $132 in Merida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $60.0 in Merida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $286 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 52% more than Merida, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,214 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $809 in Merida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $89.2 in Merida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Merida costs $809 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Merida. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.